Home Accents Holiday artificial Christmas trees

CPSC Recall #20-153 — July 23, 2020

Recall Summary

Recall Number20-153
Recall DateJuly 23, 2020
Remedy TypeReplace
Units AffectedAbout 99,000 (another 5,100 were sold in Canada)
ManufacturerWillis Electric Co. Ltd., of Taiwan
ImporterHome Depot Product Authority LLC, of Atlanta, Ga
Manufactured InChina

Where It Was Sold

Exclusively at Home Depot from June 2019 through December 2019 for between $80 and $360.

Product

Home Accents Holiday artificial Christmas trees

Description

This recall involves mode-switching foot-pedal controllers included with 2019 Home Accent Holiday 7.5 ft. and 9 ft. artificial pine Christmas trees.  Model numbers W14N0126, W14N0127, W14N0148, W14N0149, and W14N0157 and SKU NUMBERS can be found on the product label on the Christmas tree’s cord, and are listed in the following table. Model No.SKU No.W14N012710043919881004147107W14N015710043639281004213736W14N012610043639291004213737W14N01491004213744W14N01481004213742 

Hazard

The Christmas tree’s foot-pedal controller can overheat, posing a burn hazard.

Incidents & Injuries

The firm has received 509 reports of incidents of overheating involving the foot-pedal controller, including one report of a burn. 

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should immediately stop using the foot-pedal controller, dispose of it and contact Willis Electric for free replacement foot pedal controller.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Replace at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Replace) at no cost to you.

If the product caused a fire or burn injury, document the incident with photos and preserve the product if it is safe to do so. Report the incident to the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov and to your local fire department. Contact the manufacturer to inform them of the incident — they are required to track and report injuries to CPSC. You may also want to consult a personal injury attorney, as fire and burn injuries caused by defective products can be grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer.

In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.

If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.